Brevis ruled out as CSK's injury problems mount before Rajasthan Royals opener
Dewald Brevis will miss CSK's IPL 2026 opener against Rajasthan Royals in Guwahati on Monday after picking up a side strain in training, adding to an injury list that already includes MS Dhoni and Nathan Ellis.
Three key players gone before a ball is bowled
Head coach Stephen Fleming confirmed on Sunday that Brevis picked up the injury during a training session and is expected to miss two to three matches while he recovers. The 22-year-old was in devastating form during IPL 2025, scoring 225 runs in six innings at a strike rate of 180, and was expected to anchor the middle order this season.
His absence compounds what was already a difficult situation. MS Dhoni is nursing a calf strain that could keep him out until the end of April, meaning he might miss as many as six matches. Nathan Ellis has been ruled out of the entire IPL 2026 season with a hamstring injury, and while Spencer Johnson has been drafted in as a replacement, he is not expected to be available until around April 21.
Tomorrow's XI looks thin
Without Dhoni behind the stumps, Sanju Samson will take the gloves for the Guwahati match. That solves one problem but does not fix the middle-order hole left by Brevis. CSK already lacked pace depth after losing Ellis, and with Johnson weeks away from joining up, Fleming will have to lean heavily on the domestic bowling options.
Rajasthan Royals, by contrast, head into the match in decent shape. The Guwahati pitch has traditionally offered something for both batters and seamers, and RR will fancy their chances against a CSK side that is still working out its best combination.
A slow start could hurt CSK's campaign
CSK can survive a loss or two early on. They have the squad depth to cope once everyone is fit. But if the first few weeks produce a run of defeats, they could find themselves playing catch-up in a league where every point matters. Dhoni's presence alone changes the mood in a dressing room. Without him, and without Brevis and Ellis, the players who do take the field on Monday need to step up and prove they can carry the burden.
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